HELP! I start so good in the morn.... then it turns to crap

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TODJ06
TODJ06 Posts: 85
in Health and Weight Loss
My day starts off so good
Healthy breakfast... log it.

Mid morning exercise. Log it.

Healthy lunch. Log it.

Mid-afternoon - and things start going bad. I seem to start getting hungry about 4pm and I make a meat sandwich (protein and carbs) and that is good, but does not fill the hole enough... so I start eating crackers or cookies with the children... I feel guilty, so I dont log it.

Dinner is generally healthy; lots of veges and lean protein etc.... I log it.

But after dinner I get a sweet craving (of sorts). It is getting colder here and I seem to crave hot chocolate/milo. Some nights I may drink a litre of it (3 large cups) and I know its not good. Its just pure sugar realy.
Then with my hot drinks I eat lots of cookies.

I am worried that since it is only the beginning of the colder months I will not lose any more weight, but infact, will add 20lbs back on.

HELP! :sick:
The mornings start so good.... the evenings end CRAP.

How do you all cope at night? Wanting sweet stuff.
I dont want to put all the weight back on over winter!
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Replies

  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
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    get rid of the junk out of your house- if it is not there you can't eat it

    i found that adding things to my meals that contain natural sugars helps cut craving, for example strawberries in a salad
  • southernbelle85
    southernbelle85 Posts: 13
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    Hi! I used to have the same problem. What do you eat in the morning and at lunch? I have found if I plan my meals in advance and stick to eating 3 meals a day with 2 snacks I do better. When I fail to plan or miss a meal my diet gets worse throughout the day. I just get so hungry I don't care what I am putting in my body. Lately, I have been eating well balanced meals with a protein, fruit and fat. It seems to be helping. If I get hungry I eat a piece of lunch meat with a slice of cheese or 10 grapes. That seems to curb my craving for foods I don't need.

    I completely understand the sweets craving. Today was actually the first time I have craved something sweet in a long time. I made some peanut butter cookies. It is okay to have something sweet as long as it is in moderation.

    Feel free to add me and look at my last couple of days in my diary. Good luck!
  • carolynbonacci
    carolynbonacci Posts: 14 Member
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    Immediate reaction - protein (or really a balance of protein, healthy fats, and carbs). What are your healthy breakfasts? If they are healthy in the sense that they are low calorie then you may not be doing yourself any favors. When you wake up so is your stomach and it has been fasting all night so now it wants to know that everything will be okay. Your breakfast should be high protein with some healthy fats to keep you feeling full and carbs to balance (this is especially important if you are eating an incomplete protein). I used to have late night issues too (who doesn't). However, lately I found that the meal I look forward to the most is my breakfast (nom, nom, nom).

    I also recommend that you look into whey protein (I like Jillian whey since it is also low fat and low carb). I added this to my morning regime and am very pleased with the results.Also, if you LOVE hot cocoa then this is for you - all goodness and no guilt.

    If you give your body what it needs all day long you will have better luck with snack issues. Finally, snacks are fine or better than fine. If you are like me then you will want to eat smaller amounts more often and so eating every 2-3 hours may work. Remember a few things - limit carbs late in the day - try to find complete snacks with protein/healthy fat/catb - snack and treats are NOT the same (some fat free Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts is a snack - ice cream is a treat). Finally, be sure to look at the numbers myfitnesspal provides you. You can see your % and adjust them. Make carbs less than 50% and make sure you get .5 - 1 gram of protein per lbs and you will notice that you will feel fuller and better all around.
  • shanteel612
    shanteel612 Posts: 434 Member
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    I agree with the above poster about planning in advance. When I do that i stick with my diet to a T (and if you don't you feel really guily). I know for me it is easy to think that I am staying within my cals but then when I log it I go way over.

    Also, you need to be logging everything even if you feel guilty about eating it, so you how much you are sabotaging youur own efforts (If you do not log you aren't fooling anyone but yourself)
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,376 Member
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    You should log EVERYTHING - Even when eating treats like cookies, cakes, ice cream, hot chocolate, etc....This way you know how many calories you are using up...Don't worry about others seeing your diary & seeing that you have eaten something that you feel guilty about - We ALL do this at times, no one is perfect so we understand eating over at times...You can have your goodies but in moderation...Also like someone above said - Get you some chocolate protein powder & put it with water or milk & it is just like drinking chocolate milk or if you put warm milk in it - It's just like warm cocoa plus you are getting the benefits from it as well...HTH!! Best of luck! :)
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    It's not as simple as getting rid of foods if they are foods you are feeding your children. It's all about willpower. I personally look at the foods my teenagers have around and ask myself if it's worth it. Will eating it get me to my goal or will it just put me in a tailspin.
  • addict3
    addict3 Posts: 48 Member
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    Planning, absolutely! Never fail to plan. If you do fail to plan one day, stick to old reliables you know. After planning for a while you will be able to put together an impromptu day in a pinch. I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks per day, all of which contain at least SOME protein. I have dieted most of my life and never understood the importance of this. It will keep your body going and help with the hunger, but you must start early on with breakfast and carry it on through the last snack. If you can eat cottage cheese, ( I never could till now) my nutritionist calls it a super food and says it is perfect for a last snack before bed because it coats the stomach and releases slowly throughout the night to fuel the body. Keep track of your protein, fat and carbs every day, it helps and is essential to success. Drink plenty (water is best) and stay hydrated, it also helps. I wish I had understood this years ago. Good luck
  • rsward
    rsward Posts: 45
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    bump
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
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    what is your goal a day? maybe you need to bump up your calorie goal. Treats are okay, just in moderation. I sometimes pre-plan my day to make sure I get enough of my macros, usually don't pre-plan dinner though.
  • Thinkthinstaythin
    Thinkthinstaythin Posts: 42 Member
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    if you want something sweet. Fruit is naturally sweet. It is the best thing ever and kids love it as well!!!! Also, LOG everything because you lie to yourself if you don't but if you know you have to log it your less likely to eat it.
  • Darlingir
    Darlingir Posts: 437
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    just a small, partial suggestion....be honest about your food...no matter what you eat..log it anyway....really, it's that important.
  • wingednotes
    wingednotes Posts: 279
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    Switch up your routine. If the meat and cheese sandwich isn't filling the hole, find something that does. Make something FUN. Do something insane with cooking - get the kids involved - and eat it slowly. Enjoy every moment. If the kids aren't eating that meal with you, have them sit and eat something else (besides cookies & crackers which sound like a trigger for you.)

    Its important to plan your meals, but I think its equally important to plan your evenings. What else are you doing in the evening besides eating sweets? Are you escaping from chores? Are you bored? Lonely? Frustrated from a long day with the kids? Plan something to do - a favorite show or movie, a hobby, pick up knitting or something that involves the hands so they are busy doing something other than eating.

    This stuff has worked for me. (I suffer from compulsive eating.)
  • 26Nirak
    26Nirak Posts: 147 Member
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    I go through the same thing and come to realize it is a mind-game.

    Along with all the great advise already given: planning, planning,planning, protein throughout the day, plenty of water: I try to take time for little mantras throughout the day. Suggestive powers, I need to change my brain in order to change my awful eating habits.

    It may go something like this: I will form good habits. I will persevere.

    I am using Og Mandino's book "The Greatest Salesman in the World" in order to change my thinking.

    What I found is that it does not really matter if you believe in this stuff or not, but it will force you to slow down the mind and become more conscientious of what you are about to do - like eating cookie number 8.

    Awareness. And then change.

    For now, it's working for me.

    Good luck!!!
  • katydid25
    katydid25 Posts: 199 Member
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    I agree with the posters suggesting you log everything! When you realize how many calories are in those little snacks, you're more likely to steer clear.

    I also eat a smaller breakfast and lunch so I have a larger dinner. I usually don't need that much in the morning. If I do need more earlier in the day, I split my calories between 4 meals. That usually works for me!
  • AlayshaJ
    AlayshaJ Posts: 703 Member
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    Make the mid-afternoon snack a meal. Protein, veggie, carb. Simple. That won't happen anymore.
  • rockabillydarlin
    rockabillydarlin Posts: 244 Member
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    Look up some recipes for healthier sweet treats and have them around for when you have cravings. Plan out your meals ahead of time and don't stray from them! I find it's easier for me to stick to a plan than to try and make healthy decisions on a whim all day long (of course, I do break down and have a sweet every once in a while). But I just keep telling myself: "I don't need it!" And I don't. The craving passes and I feel awesome for resisting.
  • llmichalek
    llmichalek Posts: 48
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    Yes definitely log everything. If you are embarrassed, don't make your diary public. But if you don't log, you will keep doing it. I logged for the first few days and my breakfasts consisted of potato chips, birthday cake, ice cream...once I saw that, I started making better choices. Now it's whole wheat toast, peanut butter, and strawberries. Also, don't let yourself get hungry. Eat a snack BEFORE you get hungry enough to eat crackers and cookies. You may want to lower your calories for meals, so you have more to spend on healthy snacks throughout the day to keep you satisfied. Finally, find some snacks that are healthy and good for you that you LOVE. For me, it's peanut butter toast, peanut butter and bananas, chocolate protein shakes made with coconut milk, watermelon. If you are still hungry all the time, you aren't getting enough calories and take it from me, you will stall on weight loss eventually after screwing up your metabolism. Lower your goal to maybe 1/2 or 1 pound a week which will allot you more calories. I have stalled for 6 months after losing 50 pounds of baby weight. This last 10-15 has been a nightmare. I have actually had to add calories to reset my body to be able to lose again.
  • VoodooLuLu
    VoodooLuLu Posts: 636 Member
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    plan your meals ahead log them onto here and follow that if your still hungry drink more water or something!
  • joeq722
    joeq722 Posts: 86 Member
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    Im guessing, but maybe you are not eating enough at breakfast and lunch.
    You may be operating on the faulty logic of saying:

    "i only hadba little for breakfast so im doing good".

    if you have 1400 calories for the day, id hope you diivide them as 400 400 400 then a couple of 100 snacks, something like that.
  • pakibeaka
    pakibeaka Posts: 1
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    What I have noticed is you need to stop eating sweet things. It is hard at first but then after a week or so, you don't really crave it anymore and it is sort of a take it or leave it sort of feeling. Sugar is very addictive and once you have some, you only want more. Try going without and then eventually let yourself have one if you really want it. But for me, it is best to stay away from all of it or I want sugar all the time. Good luck! Also, make sure you log everything, then you will see actually how much you are eating and won't want to keep eating it. It is working for me. I love this website.

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